BOOK REVIEW: The Spider Strikes

 

THE SPIDER STRIKES
by Michael P. Spradlin
Available now

Michael P. Spradlin's The Web of the Spider series does something frankly very difficult: it explains the leadup to the atrocities of World War II on a level that young readers can comprehend. Which is not to say that younger readers aren't as intelligent; rather, it's a matter of outlining what life looks like in those intervening years. We learn the horrific number of lives lost in school, but these stories put readers in the shoes of a boy who is watching the Nazi mindset seep slowly into his everyday life, chipping away bits of normality at a time.

This third book, like the other two, is a relatively short but impactful read. Series narrator Joshua, a Jewish boy whose reporter father continues to encourage critical thinking as the world burns around them, brings his friends Rolf and Ansel on his family's summer trip to Austria. But this isn't like most years. The hatred of Jewish people has spread, to the point that they can't even get seen in stores. And as the boys prepare for a camping trip in the Alps, they discover that Rolf's brother Romer and more of the Hitler Youth have followed them.

The books in The Web of the Spider fluctuate between boyish excitement and true peril, and The Spider Strikes is no exception. The boys may be able to thwart their bullies with a series of clever traps, but the reality of the situation sinks in when true danger strikes for one of the trio. It's a bittersweet read: moments of victory, sanity, and even fun in the face of peril, followed swiftly by the sad truth that their lives will never be the same.

These books read best as a series, since Joshua's story is an ongoing saga. But it also matters to see how the world changes bit by bit: how, from book to book, the boys find their situation growing more dangerous like a lobster in a slowly heating pot. This book in particular also addresses the difficulty of extreme politics cutting through families, and what watching one loved one hurt another can do to us. Some answers are easy, but others are not, and these books don't shy away from that truth.

For the purposes of educational reading—either in a classroom or with family—this book also comes with a timeline of the events leading up to World War II, allowing young readers to match Joshua's story up to real life events. These books continue to be excellent reads for young readers, and important books for family discussion.

TEA PAIRING: Cozy Apple Spice
In one of the book's calmer and happier moments, the friends share a campfire dinner of freshly caught fish with a dessert of apples and cinnamon. This limited-edition Cozy Apple Spice feels like a good match for that calm before the storm. Use my code KARA15 for 15% off this and more teas from Chapters Tea & Co.!